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Literature: Banned Books Week

This library celebrates Banned Books Week, Oct. 1-7, 2023
censorship on the rise
Who initiates challenges?
Censorship by the numbers: Books and Beyond
where do challenges take place?
Most challenged of 2022: 1. Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
Most challenged of 2022: 2. All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson
Most challenged of 2022: 3. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Most challenged of 2022: 4. Flamer by Mike Curato
Most challenged of 2022: 5. Looking for Alaska by John Green (tie)
Most challenged of 2022: 5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (tie)
Most challenged of 2022: 7. Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison
Most challenged of 2022: 8. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Most challenged of 2022: 9. Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez
Most challenged of 2022: 10. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas (tie)
Most challenged of 2022: 10. Crank by Ellen Hopkins (tie)
Most challenged of 2022: 10. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews (tie)
Most challenged of 2022: 10. This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson (tie)
We read banned books

Banned Books Week

An annual event celebrating the freedom to read. Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Typically held during the last week of September, it highlights the value of free and open access to information.

Challenge

An attempt to remove or restrict materials based upon the objections of a person or group. Challenges are more than a person expressing a point of view; they are an attempt to remove material from a curriculum or a library, thus restricting access to these materials.

Banning

The removal of challenged materials.

Source: Banned Books Week. Learn more: Banned Book FAQ (ALA).

Banned Books in the News

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